Political will has a big role to play if we are to save our planet. Why is it we cannot find a single green politician in India?

It took just a small glass bowl to bring home the message of global warming. Its mouth covered with a thin plastic, the bowl containing some soil and humus was home to a plant. Like earth is our home.

The bowl had to be placed in sunlight once in a while for a few minutes and that was all the plant needed to stay alive. It was a self-sustaining system. Like earth has been.

But as happens in stressed lives we lead, I left it in the sun one day and forgot about it till it was too late. When I retrieved the bowl, it burnt hot in my hands. The plant had died.

This may be an extreme comparison but the fact remains that we are doing something similar to our planet. We are causing the heating up our atmosphere. Instead of protecting us, it becomes a heat trap. Already many species affected by the heat are on their way out.

Inspite of all evidence, there is no let-up in the emissions. Latest studies show that since 2000 there has been a 35 per cent increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Interestingly, there has been a fall in energy efficiency!

The path ahead is to develop low carbon technologies as also to improve energy efficiency. And do it in an ‘urgent’ mode. That alone can sustain economic growth and check emissions. Experts have noted that mere capping of emissions serves no purpose.

Clean energy technologies must become the focus of developed and developing worlds. The ‘State of the World 2008’ report by Worldwatch Institute notes positive steps in this direction. China has enacted a Renewable Energy Law and penalises CEOs of companies that pollute its waterways. Sweden charges a fee from power plants that emit nitrogen oxide and distributes this to least polluting plants.

What prevents India from doing the same? Over 62 per cent of our power generation is from coal-based plants. Indian power plants spew 583 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually! There are plans to add 78,577 MW (to the existing 1,32,000 MW) in the 11th Plan. A big chunk of this will come from coal-based stations.

Instead of taking seriously concerns over peaking of oil and coal, we blindly pursue the fossil fuels even in our foreign acquisitions. Now we are looking at acquiring sugarcane fields in Brazil for ethanol — when the jury is still out there on how green these fuels really are!

Clearly, we have the expertise on technology. When we can make low-cost cars, why not low cost solar panels? Simply because of mixed priorities.

A report on ‘Solar Generation 2007’ from European Photovoltaic Association and Greenpeace has come with projections for future growth in the sector from a moderate to advanced scenario. The PV contribution grows considerably with political commitment in the advanced scenario to 40 per cent by 2010. And by 2030 the CO2 reduction from solar energy use would be one billion tonnes.

As to pricing, it all depends on demand. Already work is afoot in Spain, US and Australia on concentrated photovoltaics that do away with costly silicon and replace it with aluminum and glass to make it 36 per cent less in cost.

The report asks governments to put in place feed in tariffs that assures a specific price for every kWh of solar power fed into the grid. And, to remove subsidies for fossil and nuclear fuels. Try getting that done from a government busy with making promises of energy for all by 2010! Of course, from coal.

Why is it we do not have a single politician talking of climate change except at workshops on the subject? Why does not a single one talk on energy conservation, instead of generation? Forget making green an electoral plank, not a single candidate even mentions inclusive growth that ensures we leave something behind for tomorrow in our greed to consume today?

Things are happening but in a slow pace. State governments are doing some work on renewables. India’s first grid connected solar power plant will come up in Burdwan district of West Bengal in the next few months and will feed 2 MW of power. The Tamil Nadu government plans 185 MW co-generation of power is sugar mills in the state. And the ministry of new and renewable energy has extended support by way of incentives for grid connected solar generation projects for maximum capacities of up to 50 MW.

India is preparing a Climate Change Strategy, but how proactive this will be, remains to be seen. Especially when the official track has been to quote per capita emissions and a bullish attitude on the doublefigure growth.

It is time to stop this grab-what-you-can-when-you-can attitude and act wisely. Or we will end up like the plant in the bowl. 

Copyright 2007, The Printers (Mysore) Private Ltd.